FLUTE FANTASIA
PLAYING the flute isn't difficult. When you compare the simplicity of the instrument with the intricacies of learning the violin or the piano most flutists breathe a sigh of relief. Also, the flute plays the purest note of all the orchestral instruments - so much more attractive than all that scraping of cat gut and blasting of brass.
Flutes are rather like recorders turned sideways but with a different mouthpiece. They share the same fingering as the recorder but instead of open holes they have finger plates which you press down. The lips have to shape themselves into something like a fish pouting and then blow across a hole in the flute head.
You can learn the flute quite easily at any stage in life and quickly become proficient enough to play with other people. That's where the joy begins because you immediately have access to a huge number of other people who are all getting out there with their instruments. There's loads of flute choirs, wind quintets and wind bands which you can join without being a Grade 8 player.
James Galway began his career by playing for Irish flute bands. He used to practise long notes (seeing how long he could keep a note going on one breath) until he went light headed. Clearly it's done him no harm.
Flutes are portable too. You can even stow them in your back-pack if you feel like scaling a mountain and playing a tune at the top!
If you think a flute is too big then you can always play the piccolo.
